Language and languages, mostly but not always about English

19/07/2014

Google strikes again

I have come across this Google translation of this Spanish newspaper article. It is about Pablo Iglesias, the leader of the new Spanish left-wing party Podemos which has entered the European Parliament. I don’t intend to parse it completely but some points are worth mentioning.

Pablo Iglesias search (1) controversy at its (2) premiere (3) at the European Parliament

His lengthy discourse bullfighter jumps to politely (4) and wins him the first scolding. "Never again," he warned (5).

Topics We (4) Pablo Iglesias European Parliament

Lora Macarena (Brussels) 01/07/2014

The leader can (6), Pablo Iglesias , premiered on the floor with a very long speech that earned him his first parliamentary brawl (7). For over a minute, the interim president of the European Parliament urged him to finish his speech, "courtesy with their fellow members." Deaf to the many invitations to close his speech - "I beg, I'll have to interrupt" insisted the president, Iglesias continued asking South deputies that "vote as Greek, Italian (...) , Portuguese or Spanish "against" the authoritarian drift of the troika. "

While Pablo Iglesias raised his voice from his brand new European seat - "the millions that you have said enough in the markets (8), I want to say that you are proud ..." - who served as president of the chamber, Giani Pitella, could not conceal their weariness. "I beg," Churches (9) urged him while still reading his lengthy speech quick-release, "out of respect for their (2) colleagues."

"Sorry, but I must interrupt you," insisted the interim president. "You must close your intervention," warned Pitella, unable to bring to heel an overwhelming parliamentary willing to finish reading the stack of sheets. "Finisco in Sixteen (10) secondi", Iglesias was justified (11) in perfect Italian parliamentary rules while jumping (12).

1. Spanish busca third person of buscar. Should be seeks.

2. A classic. In Spanish the polite verb form Usted takes the third person verb form. The possessive su can thus mean his, her, its, your or their. Google has guessed wrong.

3. He is not a film but Spanish has one word for a first appearance of any kind.

4. Iglesias is not a bullfighter nor was he speaking about bulls. Saltarse algo a la torera means to disregard or flout something. Iglesias overran the time limit in his first speech in the European Parliament. A torera is the bolero jacket worn by bullfighters but here a la torera means bullfighter style.

5. He was warned. How le advierten (they warned him) has come out like this is anyone’s guess.

6. Podemos is the name of his party. It means We can. Say no more.

7. Bronca is a row, argument. It may perhaps develop into fisticuffs but not necessarily at all.

8. The original is plazas meaning squares. His party has its origins in the people who occupied squares in European cities a few years ago. As a socialist he is not proud of markets.

9. Iglesias does mean churches. It is also his surname!

10. Iglesias spoke an aside in Italian to the Italian President of the chamber saying he would finish in dieci (10) seconds. Google was still in Spanish mode and, presumably, thought it was dieciseis 11. This is se justificaba. The Spanish reflexive often does have a passive meaning but here Iglesias was justifying himself directly.

12. No, he was not jumping up and down in the parliament chamber. This is se saltaba las normas parlamentarias. He got round the rules. See (2). Saltar means jump.

This blog is about language, not politics. Language comments are welcome. Political comments are not.

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

I don't have a problem extending the noun premiere from 'first performance' to 'first public appearance'. I didn't even notice it until you called attention to it, although the dictionaries back you up.